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If you’ve been following me for a while now, you already know this but for those who are new – Welcome to Our Beautiful Chaos! I am Julie, the Mom behind the recipes, learning life and food in a busy home with 3 boys and a husband in the military. I share our homeschool journey, military family life and what’s for dinner in our dairy-free home today!

As always, these photos are from my real kitchen here on base. No staged lighting or spotless counters. Just real life and real food made in a small space. Proof that you can feed your family well without needing a dream kitchen or fancy tools!

Recently, I made this homemade chicken noodle soup for my kids when they were down with a little stomach bug. It was warm, comforting, and gentle on their tummies just what they needed. I love that it’s made with simple, clean ingredients that come together easily, even on a busy day.

This recipe is cozy, nourishing, and always a hit in our house. It’s perfect for sick days, cold weather, or whenever you need a little comfort in a bowl.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts
2 carrots (no need to peel!)
½ yellow sweet onion
3 celery sticks
3 garlic cloves
Olive oil (just enough to sauté)
2 cartons of chicken stock (about 8 cups)
8 oz egg noodles (about ½ a bag — or the whole bag if you love extra noodles!)
½ tablespoon chicken Knorr
½ teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
Juice of ½–1 lemon (depending on how lemony you like it)
Salt & pepper, to taste

Equipment

Dutch oven
Cutting board
Knife
Wooden spoon
Fork

Instructions

Step 1: Prep the veggies

Chop your onion, garlic, carrots, and celery into small pieces. (No need to peel your carrots!)

Step 2: Sauté

Add olive oil to your Dutch oven and let it warm up. Once hot, toss in your chopped veggies and stir. Let everything sauté until the onions turn translucent.

Step 3: Season the chicken

While the veggies cook, season both sides of your chicken breasts with salt and pepper.

Step 4: Sear the chicken

Push the veggies to the side and place your whole chicken breasts in the center of the pot. Let them sear on both sides. Don’t cut the chicken, we’ll shred it later!

Step 5: Simmer the soup base

Once the chicken is seared and the veggies are soft, pour in your chicken stock. Add thyme, bay leaves, and chicken Knorr. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Step 6: Shred or chop

Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks (or chop if your kids prefer chunks like mine do). Add the chicken back to the pot.

Step 7: Season to taste

Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Taste your broth and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Step 8: Add noodles

Stir in your egg noodles and cook for 7–8 minutes, or until tender.

Step 9: Serve and enjoy!

We love this soup with toasted bread on the side. It’s simple, comforting, and kid-approved!

Serves: 2 adults + 3 kids (with leftovers for lunch!)
Storage Tip: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors get even better the next day.

Freezer Meal Prep

This soup freezes beautifully! Let it cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers or freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove. If the noodles absorb too much broth after freezing, just add a splash of chicken stock when reheating.

Troubleshooting:

If the soup is too thin, simmer a little longer uncovered to reduce.
If noodles get too soft after freezing, add extra stock when reheating.

FAQ

Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes! Add shredded rotisserie chicken in the last 5 minutes of cooking to heat through.
Can I make this vegetarian?
You can use vegetable broth and tofu or chickpeas instead of chicken.
Can I use different noodles?
Absolutely. Any short pasta like shells, ditalini, or fusilli will work.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe?!

Dairy-free and family-friendly
Quick and easy to make with pantry staples
Kid-approved and comforting
Freezer-friendly and perfect for meal prep

The Takeaway

This dairy-free homemade chicken noodle soup is simple, wholesome, and full of love. Perfect for sick days, busy nights, or anytime you need a cozy bowl of comfort for your family.

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:28

Total Time:38

Equipment

Dutch oven A regular pot works just as good
cutting board
knife
Wooden spoon
fork

Ingredients

2 Chicken breasts
2 whole Carrots No need to peel them
½ Yellow onion
3 Celery sticks
3 cloves Garlic
Olive Oil Just enough to sauté veggies
8 cups Chicken stock This is 2 cartons of chicken broth add more if you want
8 oz Egg noodles This is about 1/2 the bag. If you like more noodles add more !
½ Tbsp Chicken knorr
½ Tsp Thyme Add more if your taste buds tell you too
2 Bay Leaves
½ Lemon juice If you like lemon add the whole lemon juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

Prep the veggies — Chop your onion, garlic, carrots, and celery into small pieces. (No need to peel your carrots!)
Sauté — Add olive oil to your Dutch oven and let it warm up. Once hot, toss in your chopped veggies and stir. Let everything sauté until the onions turn translucent.
Season the chicken — While the veggies cook, season both sides of your chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Sear the chicken — Push the veggies to the side and place your whole chicken breasts in the center of the pot. Let them sear on both sides. Don’t cut the chicken — we’ll shred it later!
Simmer the soup base — Once the chicken is seared and the veggies are soft, pour in your chicken stock. Add thyme, bay leaves, and chicken Knorr. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Shred or chop — Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks (or chop if your kids prefer chunks like mine do). Add the chicken back to the pot.
Season to taste — Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Taste your broth and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Add noodles — Stir in your egg noodles and cook for 7–8 minutes, or until tender.
Serve and enjoy! — We love this soup with toasted bread on the side. It’s simple, comforting, and kid-approved!

Notes

Dairy-Free Notes

This recipe is naturally dairy-free, no substitutions needed!
Always double check your noodles and chicken stock labels to make sure they’re dairy free (some brands sneak in milk powders).
For extra richness without dairy, stir in a splash of canned coconut milk at the end (it won’t taste coconutty but makes it silky).

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg Noodles (Dairy free )

Ingredients

Equipment